Norovirus outbreak at RMH

Visitor restrictions have been put in place after a suspected norovirus outbreak was declared at Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay.

The hospital says since March 1st, six patients and more than a dozen health-care providers on the medical unit have become ill with symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps and headache.

The outbreak was declared on Wednesday by the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit.
Norovirus has an incubation period of two to three days. People are contagious as long as their symptoms persist.

The hospital is attempting to control the spread of the illness including heightened attention to personal protective equipment (PPE) and special cleaning procedures.

The hospital says Patients will not be admitted to the medical unit, nor will patients be transferred from the unit unless clinically required.

The hospital says limiting the number of people walking through the medical unit is an important step.

The hospital encourages patients’ families to call or send emails to tlc@rmh.org. Emails are hand delivered every weekday.